Programs at the Blue Ridge School

Holistic Herbalist Program

Overview: This 6-month, 425-hour program is for anyone who wants to be self-sufficient for their health and medicine, whether you intend to be treating yourself and your family, to be a community healer, or whether you wish to have a public practice as an Herbalist. It is appropriate both for committed beginners and for those who have already begun their studies.

This class is intended to give you all the tools you need to go beyond treating symptoms and use diagnostic skills and knowledge about specific plants to treat at a deep level. Holistic herbalism is a beautiful art combining plant wisdom, intuitive and scientific diagnosis, and artful treatment.

Essentials of Herbalism

Overview: This practical class will give you a strong introduction to the culturally rich world of traditional, folk, and “kitchen” herbal medicine combined with modern insights and data, directly engaging you with the medicine. Each weekend has an overall theme and includes engaging lectures, hands-on medicine making and food preparation, as well as plant walks in herb gardens and richly diverse local forests.

Classes meet one weekend a month for seven months for 125 hours of instruction.

Advanced Clinical Program

Overview: Please check back in July 2017! Unfortunately we aren't offering this program this year.

Are you ready for the next step in your herbal education? The Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine offers the unique opportunity to go beyond the basics and learn the necessary skills, from assessment to designing a holistic protocol, to become a practitioner of Herbal Medicine.

In this 350-hour class, students learn about holistic approaches to disease, how to conduct a thorough health history and intake, advanced pathology, counseling and business skills, Ayurvedic constitutional treatment, and Chinese tongue and pulse diagnosis. Students see clients under the tutelage of skilled practitioners in a low-cost clinic, providing a hands-on experience that also serves the community. In this program, students gain the knowledge and confidence necessary to open an herbal practice upon graduating.